Self Help Tools

If you have an eviction hearing soon, and will be going to court without a lawyer, you can practice representing yourself by playing RePresent: Renter! You'll learn how to prepare for court, what your rights are as a renter in Maine, what happens in court on the day of your hearing, and how to present evidence and cross-examine the other person in...

Can my landlord turn off my utilities or change the locks on my door or kick me out without going to court? No. It is illegal for your landlord to throw you out by force. Your landlord must get a court order before they evict you.

This year, you won’t have to worry about losing your benefits if you get a big tax refund. Starting in 2011, any tax refunds you get will not affect most public benefits, or how much you get!
Under the law passed in December 2010:

It is illegal for a Maine landlord to refuse to rent to you because of your color, race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, having children, or getting public aid. Contact us if you have questions or think you have suffered illegal housing discrimination.

What does "Fair Housing" mean?
In Maine we have both state and federal “fair housing” laws. They say that a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, and a seller cannot treat you differently, because of your:
-race
-color
-national origin or ancestry (where you or your family came from)...

Landlords may not discriminate against you because of your: race, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment, religion, ancestry or national origin, getting welfare, being a single parent, being pregnant or having children. This means that a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, charge you extra, or evict you for any of these...